Having been a Southampton fan for over 20 years, converting a comfortable 3-0 lead into a nervy 3-2, all of their own doing, is nothing new, but yesterday’s ridiculous couple of minutes turned what should have been a nice victory sour.

It is frustrating because, despite Saints being far from their best yesterday, Norwich City had offered literally no threat. This should have been a win with the added shine of some nice team goals and a clean sheet. Instead Southampton were punished twice for sloppy play at the back.

Jose Fonte and Guly do Prado are seasoned professionals and should no better, but while they will be the ones under the spotlight, several other Saints players got away with similar sloppy play as they switched off in crucial positions. It’s a problem that has to be addressed as another team would have taken advantage, and three points could easily have been none.

Southampton play out from the back, which is great, but yesterday there was too much hesitance and lacklustre passing in around our own 18 yard box and it makes the whole system flawed. The back four constantly putting themselves under unnecessary pressure is agonising to watch.

It really was lucky that it was Norwich City we were playing and not a better side. The Canaries were woeful and I felt for their fans. They should be fighting for their lives, but the Norwich players showed no spirit whatsoever and were more interested in whining to the referee when their theatrics were ignored than digging themselves out of trouble. They didn’t come alive until Saints had gifted them the two goals with minutes to go. Too little too late, and they reminded me of the Saints side that went down in 2005.

If Saints sloppy play at the back was ridiculous, their forward play in creating their goals was sublime, cutting through Norwich City like the proverbial hot knife and butter. In regards to the first goal you will struggle to find better football anywhere in the world. Gaston Ramirez justifying his selection with a delightful defence splitting pass for Morgan Schneiderlin to finish.

It’s been said all to often that football is a ‘funny old game’, and there is certainly some truth in that. Saints have been far from their best for the past 180 minutes, but have scored five goals, conceded just two that they only have themselves to blame for and come away with six points. That perhaps says more about the season’s of Crystal Palace and Norwich City than it does ours.